March 19, 2007

Editor's Column: Doctors' Night At The Science Center April 20
Doctors' Day Is March 30...Shh!
Stabenow Passes Health IT Fund Amendment
Members In The News
Mind, Mood, Medicine
MSMS Accepting BOM Nominations

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Editor's Column:
Doctors' Night At The Science Center April 20

By JOSEPH WEISS, MD
Please set aside Friday evening April 20th from 5:30 p.m. onward. The Wayne County Medical Society, in conjunction with the Oakland County Medical Society, the Young Physicians Committee, and Alice Haidostian, has reserved the Detroit Science Center for us. Members of WCMSSM, their families and friends, will have the Science Center exhibit: OUR BODY *The Universe Within - for our viewing alone. In addition, we have admission to the IMAX Theater presentation: OUR BODY.

The exhibit provides a unique view of human anatomy. The opportunity of a personal showing allows a viewing without obstruction or hurry. A physician will be able to undertake a visual dissection of the body more thoroughly than possible in the anatomy laboratory of medical school years. The chance to show anatomy to others is another plus. The Center cafeteria will remain open for anyone who wants to take a break in seeing the exhibit for coffee or a snack.

WCMS members have another reason to attend. The Science Center is initiating a revamped Health Science Exhibit Hall. It is worth physicians’ efforts to take a long-term interest in the project. Attending this event on Friday, April 20 will provide doctors a sense of the role the Center can play in educating the public. See what possibilities exist for learning for yourself, your family, and your patients.

Note: tickets for the evening are $25/person. See the accompanying application or contact Jason Riske at the WCMS (313) 874 1360 ext. 23 for further information.

To sign up click here

March 30 Is Doctors' Day...Shh!

By PAUL NATINSKY
March 30 is "Doctors' Day." But that apparently is a pretty well-kept secret.

An Internet search on Doctors' Day turns up Web sites from Hallmark and other greeting card companies and a host of companies selling gifts for physicians.

Perhaps the most amusing nugget came a search for "Doctors' Day Michigan," which turned up a posting from "MedGadget: internet journal of emerging medical technologies" (which seems to be a blog-like Web site with links to clinical articles as well as press releases and other assorted items.).

Anyway, the posting pokes fun at the American Medical Association by noting that in 2006 it didn't acknowledge National Doctors' Day with so much as a press release, despite the fact that it's been celebrated in some form since 1933 and was made official in 1990 by an act of Congress.

To be fair, MedGadget seems to view picking on the AMA as a sort of sporting diversion. The self-proclaimed Internet journal has also been critical of the AMA's tight control of its Web content and, particularly, of its excellent newspaper, American Medical News. To end the digression, MedGadget is not the first to point this out about the AMA.

So despite Public Law 101-473, Doctors' Day seems to remain mostly a Hallmark holiday and a celebration largely ignored in most other quarters. Unless, that is, you are a member of the Southern Medical Society or its alliance. The SMA Alliance (or more accurately the Barrow County Alliance in Winder, Georgia) founded Doctors' Day in 1933. The Society itself "was established to provide quality continuing medical education for physicians particularly in the South. The 'Southern' territory of the SMA officially includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia," states the organization's Web site. Fear not, membership extends to all 50 states.

The whole story along with the text of the resolution feting physicians can be found at http://www.sma.org/auxiliary/doctorsday/index.cfm

If you just want to learn more about the SMA, go to http://www.sma.org/index.cfm

To see what MedGadget had to say, the address is http://medgadget.com/archives/2006/03/american_medica.html

And to view their current offerings, venture to
http://medgadget.com/

Stabenow Passes Health IT Fund Amendment

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) last week announced passage of her Health IT Reserve Fund amendment during the Senate Budget Committee markup of the FY 2008 Senate Budget. The Stabenow amendment will provide a critical first step for the federal government to implement health IT systems and services that could save our country up to $100 billion annually in health care costs, according to David W. Roberts, MPA, vice president, government relations, HIMSS. HIMSS is a not-for-profit organization that works to better understanding of health care information and management systems. The budget will now go to the full Senate for a vote, which is expected to occur this week.

"We know the promise health information technology holds for lowering our nation's sky-high health costs and providing better service to patients," Stabenow told Roberts. "Now we need to get these systems in place so we can realize the cost benefits for patients and employers, and this amendment is an essential first step."

Businesses across the country are struggling to remain competitive in a global marketplace as health care costs continue to rise. Many of our nation's major employers, including our automakers, cite health related expenses as one of their most crippling business costs, reported Roberts.

The United States currently spends 31 cents of every health care dollar on administrative costs and tens of billions of dollars annually providing duplicative care and treating medical errors, much of which could be prevented through the ability to better share information among patients and medical professionals, he stated.

To protect patient privacy, the Stabenow reserve fund would only apply to any health information technology legislation adopted that ensures the privacy and security of personal medical information.

Members In The News

New Role for Ali Kafi, MD, Chief of Clinical Cardiothoracic Surgery at DMC Harper University Hospital

Ali Kafi, MD, a DMC cardiothoracic surgeon, has accepted new responsibilities in his role as Chief, Clinical Cardiothoracic Surgery at Harper University Hospital. Dr. Kafi is board certified in Thoracic Surgery and specializes in surgical ventricular restoration and transmyocardial revascularization.

In Dr. Kafi’s new capacity, he will oversee the management of: all residents rotating on cardiothoracic surgery; on-call schedules for the service; all quality measures as they relate to the division; and, peer review and credentialing for the cardiothoracic surgeons.

Dr. Kafi is one of metro Detroit’s most experienced cardiothoracic surgeons having performed literally thousands of open heart procedures during his career. He has extensive experience in coronary and valvular surgery as well as minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

As a leader in his field, Dr. Kafi was the first surgeon in Michigan to perform transmyocardial laser revascularization, a surgical procedure for coronary artery disease patients with angina. The treatment improves blood flow to areas of the heart not treated by angioplasty or traditional surgical approaches. A special laser is used to create small channels in the heart muscle and improve blood flow. Dr. Kafi is also one of the first physicians in metro Detroit to use minimally invasive port access during cardiac procedures.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Kafi is an educator who teaches other surgeons how to perform complex surgical procedures. He has published articles and presented on various cardiothoracic surgery topics.

Dr. Kafi received his medical degree from the University of Tehran, School of Medicine in Tehran, Iran (Middle East). He completed his residency in surgery and thoracic surgery at Wayne State University. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, American College of Cardiologists and the American College of Chest Physicians.

St. Mary Mercy Hospital Medical Staff Officers Installed

St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, held an installation dinner in honor of the new 2007 St. Mary Mercy Medical Staff Officers. Roy Misirliyan, MD, Cardiology, will serve as the new Chief of Staff and Gregory Stone, MD, Pulmonary Medicine, will serve as Chief of Staff- elect.

Dr. Misirliyan, of Novi, has been a cardiologist at St. Mary Mercy Hospital since 1996. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and his Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at Wayne State University. Dr.
Misirliyan is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine. His practice is in Livonia with Michigan Heart, PC.

Dr. Stone, of Canton, completed his residency in Internal Medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (Macomb), and Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Stone has been on staff at St.
Mary Mercy Hospital since 1994. His practice is in Livonia with Michigan Lung and Sleep, PC.

Other WCMSSM members serving on the Board at large include Ratna Zampani, MD and Ash Gokli, MD.

Mind, Mood, Medicine

2007 Retreat for Women Physicians - "Mind, Mood and Medicine"
Friday-Sunday, April 13-15, Kalamazoo

The MSMS Foundation is proud to announce that the 2007 Retreat for Women Physicians will take place Friday-Sunday, April 13-15, at the Kalamazoo Radisson. This year’s event, titled "Mood, Mind and Medicine," will focus on the needs and interests unique to women physicians, including life transitions for women, scope of practice, epilepsy in women, sexual dysfunction, depression, and more.

Now in its fourth year, the Retreat for Women Physicians will provide attendees with the opportunity to network with colleagues while learning about topics that affect their personal and professional lives. Breakout sessions covering a wide array of topics will allow attendees to choose which sessions best suit their needs and interests.

The weekend also will include a number of recreational/non-medical opportunities, such as spa services and a Saturday evening showing of "The Women," by Clare Boothe Luce, at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the daily program will run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Cost is $200 for MSMS & MMGMA members, $275 for non-members.

For more information or to register, visit www.msms.org/events or contact the MSMS Registrar at (517) 336-5784 or abatten@msms.org.

MSMS Accepting BOM Nominations

The MSMS Committee on Licensure & Discipline has begun the process of soliciting candidates who wish to receive the recommendation of MSMS for appointment to the Michigan Board of Medicine. On Dec. 31, 2007, the terms of five Board of Medicine members will expire. Of those five, four are eligible to be reappointed to a second four-year term. One position will be vacant and require an appointment by the governor. The Committee considers many key factors (peer review experience, board certification, and involvement in organized medicine) when selecting a candidate it believes to be qualified to serve in this capacity. The Committee will begin accepting candidates this month and will continue to do so through the end of April so that the recommendations may be brought to the July MSMS Board of Directors meeting for final approval.

For more information or to obtain a nomination application, visit www.msms.org/advocacy. Or contact Colin Ford at MSMS at (517) 336-5737 or cford@msms.org.

This publication brought to you by Natinsky Publishing Network.

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